


A Love Like Ours

by angelxhoney



Series: Memoirs of a Girl Detective [3]
Category: Dress Up! Time Princess (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:47:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29823759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelxhoney/pseuds/angelxhoney
Summary: After a hectic few weeks, Elizabeth is excited to finally meet one of her role models. If only she had known that Charlotte Harris would turn her entire world upside down. Following her interview, Elizabeth learns to navigate the wild ride of being in a lesbian relationship in the Roaring 20's- and the turmoil of her lover's father being a major player in the New York underground. Will it end happily for the two women, or in social ruin?The second part of my first work, following Charlotte's romance. The POV will switch between the two characters occasionally. While not completely necessary, I would highly recommend reading the first part for the best continuity. Thank you again for reading, and I hope you enjoy!
Relationships: Elizabeth Colvin/Charlotte Harris
Series: Memoirs of a Girl Detective [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2170587
Kudos: 1





	A Love Like Ours

January 30th, 1928

Monday morning came quickly. My weekend had been filled with cleaning; both my apartment and article revisions. I wasn’t at work, but I still spent hours trying to compile a short piece about Daisy and her film  _ and _ a piece on the shoot-out at the premiere. I barely slept, and I was surviving purely off of coffee and my detrimental work ethic.

Mr. Kane pulled me aside as soon as I walked into the office. 

“Colvin, are your notes ready for the Harris Interview?” he asked, his voice low and a little worried.

“They are, sir. Why? What’s the matter?”

Kane sighed in relief. “She caught me off guard this morning; called me at six to see if we could do the interview today at noon instead of later in the week like we had planned. I didn’t want to lose the interview so I said ‘of course’, but I didn’t even think to ask if you were ready.” He ran a hand over his gelled hair in embarrassment.

“I’m always ready, sir. You never have to worry about me, there.” 

He smiled, obviously pleased with my answer. “Wonderful. Well, you’ll want to head out now, then; they live on Long Island which is more than a two hour trip by taxi.”

“Oh, jeez.” I muttered. 

Mr. Kane handed me an envelope heavy with change. “That should cover the fares for you. Don’t worry about coming back to the office this evening, I’ll just see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.” I nodded, then reached into my messenger bag to pull out a folder. “Before I go, these are my two articles I put together over the weekend for my interview with Daisy and about what happened at the premier. Would you mind vetting them while I’m out today so that I can make my edits tomorrow?” 

Kane took the folder and flipped through it. He nodded to himself, and then tucked the folder under his arm. “Sure. Travel safe, then.”

I thanked him and left to flag a ride. I was decently happy with my outfit for the day and decided I would save more time if I didn’t change; my nerves would get the better of me and I wouldn’t be able to pick something else I deemed suitable enough for Ms. Harris’s presence.

I got into the backseat of the cab and read them the address. We took off, and I settled into the leather interior trying to draft a format for the interview in my head. I had written down several questions to ask her, and I had a few conversation starters should things get dry, but it still didn’t feel like enough. She seemed like too big of a celebrity for me to be interviewing. Daisy might have been a Hollywood actress, sure... but Charlotte Harris was someone history would remember. 

On the upside of things, I remembered her being very kind when we were in college together. She was confident, outgoing, the kind of girl everyone wanted to know. She had dropped out her junior year to learn to fly; she loved aviation that much. I sort of forgot about her after that, until she crossed the Atlantic in almost half the time Charles Lindburgh had. Our Alma Mater was extremely proud of her, and had even set up a plaque in her name on one of the engineering buildings.

I nervously rolled the end of my pen over my lower lip, watching as the brick mansions grew larger and larger as we drove. Old Westbury was nothing but rich people’s homes and massive gardens as far as the eye could see. Ms. Harris’s father, Steven Harris, was a popular politician in the midst of re-election; no doubt their home would be just as grand, if not more so, than the houses we were passing now.  _ I can’t imagine living in a place that big. What would you use all of the rooms for? I wonder if it gets lonely. I would have to have a million cats for company.  _

The cab eventually pulled up to a tall golden fence. The crested gates shined beneath the winter sun, casting a golden glow over their frosted garden. A uniformed man opened the front gate to allow us to drive onto the property, and we parked in front of an unexpectedly lush courtyard. Camellia flowers bloomed in rows, the bushes trimmed into perfect circles. Around them, violas, Algerian irises and pansies dyed the ground purple and yellow. Behind the vibrant colors sat a red and brown brick house, three stories tall. Six chimneys puffed smoke from its roof into the grey sky above.

Once I got out of the car, a butler guided me into the estate, leading me past a beautiful entryway into a sitting room.

“Wait here. Ms. Harris will be in to see you shortly.”

I thanked him, and he promptly left. The room was comfortable; ideal for an interview. The crackling fireplace was warm, and gave off a soothing ambiance. It at least put me at ease, and I was a little less jittery than I was when I first got into the taxi this morning. I laid my notebook down on the wooden coffee table between the plush couches and browsed around the large room.The walls were lined with bookshelves heavily burdened with well loved books and trophies. Most of them bore Charlotte’s name. Above the fireplace hung an outdated family portrait, with a very young Charlotte flanked by her father and late mother. I couldn’t remember what her mother had died from, or when for that matter, but I knew she had been long dead when I met Charlotte in college. She was a beautiful woman, and the familial resemblance was unmistakable. Charlotte looked a  _ lot _ like her mother, even as a young child. 

Five minutes passed before the doors to the sitting room opened again. I turned to greet my company but froze, speechless, as she strode into the room. The woman in front of me wore a pair of silk Palazzo trousers with a white button down tucked in, the sleeves rolled and the buttons undone past her breastplate. She had short chocolate brown hair that curled delicately around her face. When she spotted me, she broke into a wide grin, her hazel eyes full of joy. For a moment, I forgot to breathe.  _ They could have warned me that she’d be this pretty. _

“Thanks for waiting, Ms. Reporter! I got caught up talking to one of the maids and I lost track of the time.” She laughed at her mistake. “It’s nice to meet you! I’m Charlotte Harris.”

Charlotte held her hand out for me to shake it, and the movement snapped me back to reality. I blushed and shook it. “The pleasure is mine, Miss Harris. I’m Elizabeth Colvin, with the Gotham times.”

Charlotte cocked a brow and gave me a playful grin. “Oh, so they thought they could throw me off my rhythm by sending a lady reporter, did they?”

I blushed deeper and stammered out our reasoning. “What? No, no Mr. Kane- my editor, I mean, he thought it might be nice for you to talk to someone, well to talk to a girl, that it might be a more comfortable experience for you.” 

Charlotte shook her head and laughed again. The sound was rich, like silver bells accompanying a choir. “I’m just teasing.” She walked past me and plopped down onto one of the sofas. “I’m here now, anyways, if you’d like to start.”

“Oh, okay, right. L-lets… So, Miss Harris.” I took a deep breath to try and calm myself, my hands shaking like leaves.  _ I’ve never been this nervous before. I must look like a complete idiot.  _

“There’s no need to be nervous, Colvin. I don’t bite.” 

Charlotte stared at me, compelling but not unkind. I nodded. She was right. I did this all the time. She was just another client. “Miss Harris, I’m sure you’ve been asked this a million times now, but- could you tell me again why you wanted to become an aviator?”

“Absolutely. So, when I was a kid, almost a decade ago now, I heard about a crew of Navy aviators. They completed the first trans-Atlantic flight, going all the way from America to England. It took several stops and a total of twenty-three days, but they did it. It was a big deal, a really fantastic achievement. And I remember thinking- I was a very competitive child, you see- I remember thinking _ ‘I bet I could do that in half the time. That’s almost a month!’ _ ’ She laughed again, shaking her head. “I didn’t really understand the restraints of technology at the time. Still, though, that flight… it inspired me. I got to meet them, you know. Breese and Rhoads. I was so giddy I thought I’d just about die.” 

“That’s wonderful. Not many people actually get to meet their idols.” I said with a smile. 

“Right you are. So, after that, I dropped out of college for two years of training. After  _ that _ , well, you know the rest of the story.” She winked at me and my heart skipped a beat.

“I would be shocked to find someone who didn’t know your story, Miss Harris. The training must have been tough. Did you ever feel like giving up?”

“You know, women, we’ve got our work cut out for us. It’s a man's world out there today, and aviation… that’s a boy’s club. They call it a cockpit for a reason,” she scoffed. “We’re encouraged to stay home and be homemakers. Women are told from a young age not to play in the dirt or touch tools or even study. Did you know only about seven percent of girls go to college right now? Men can do whatever they’d like and shut the gates on anyone they don’t want in their space.” She shook her head and tucked her feet up under her on the couch. “Now, I don’t know if you can tell, but I don’t like being told what to do. I think I kept myself going on spite alone for a while. Have you heard of High-G training? When I first started on that centrifuge, I was throwing up almost everyday. I felt like quitting every time I puked. But then I thought about the alternatives, about what sort of path I could be paving for women everywhere… I would turn around and get right back in it. It was worth it, in the end, of course. As soon as I got on a plane I knew I’d made the right choice.”

I stared at her, wide-eyed, absorbing everything she was telling me. I scribbled down quotes for a few minutes, trying to get down as much of what she had said verbatim. I had honestly forgotten to keep writing while she was talking; I had been so enamored, I just listened instead. 

“So, would you say that alone is the reason for all of your success?” I asked once I was sure I had enough down in my notes.

“Oh, definitely not. I couldn’t be where I am today without my family’s support.” 

“Even though you’re a woman?”

Charlotte shook her head. “ _ Because _ I’m a woman. My dad was the one who introduced me to my first flying instructor. My father, and my mother up until she died, the only thing they wanted for me was to be happy. If that meant flying a plane, then so be it. They were going to do whatever they could to get me my wings.”

“That’s great, I’m happy to hear you had them behind you the whole way.” I said. “So, to tie this up then, is there anything you would like to say to our female readers?”

Charlotte sat thinking for a minute. “Women…” she started tentatively. “We’ve been struggling for equality for a long time. We finally have the right to vote, but that’s just the beginning. We have to stick together, lift each other up and let society hear our voices. We need people to know there’s nothing women can’t do.”

“Well said, Miss Harris. I couldn’t agree more.” I smiled softly as I finished up my notes.  _ It’s rare to see someone so vocal about gender equality this early. She’s got a lot of spirit. _ “Well, that about wraps things up. Thank you so much for your time, Miss Harris.” I paused, then added, “I’m excited to say I got to meet my idol today as well. I’ve wanted to interview you ever since I was at Imperial, and today I got to fulfill that wish.”

“You went to Imperial University too?” I had caught Charlotte's attention. She sat up a little straighter on the sofa and leaned into the conversation. A butler entered the room briefly to serve Ms. Harris a cup of coffee. He had come with two cups, out of courtesy, and placed one in front of me on the table. “I’m in no rush if you have time to stay and chat.” I could hardly deny the invitation. I took up the cup of coffee and settled in.

“I did. I graduated two years below you, in journalism.” I took a sip of coffee and smiled. “You were such a beacon of light that I couldn’t get anywhere close to you. I’m not sure what I would have said if I’d had the chance, either.” 

“Is that so?” Charlotte murmured. “You know, the university is celebrating its 150th anniversary next week.”

“They’re holding a ball, aren’t they?”

“Indeed they are!” Charlotte smiled. “You’ll be in attendance, won’t you?”

I had completely forgotten about it until this very second, if I was being perfectly honest.  _ Of course, someone like me that got in on scholarships and scraping pennies wouldn’t be on the invite list. The Alumni Ball, that was for people like Charlotte. Not to mention, I don’t think I’d have a dress appropriate enough to wear to an event like that. Unless I wore the one Davis got me for the premier… _

“I hadn’t planned on it.” I answered truthfully. 

Charlotte pouted. “That’s a pity. I was planning on introducing you to someone there. If you’re looking to interview more notable women, she would be an excellent candidate.”

“Is that so? And who might she be?” I asked, curious.

“She’s about to become the bane of every Mafia man and corrupt official in New York.” Charlotte smirked behind her cup as she took a sip. She knew she had me hooked. 

As I had seen over the last two weeks, the Mafia was gaining traction in New York. They rose to power during this time anyways as a result of Prohibition, but as the ‘dirty thirties’ drew closer, things were going to get a whole lot worse. Chicago was already notorious for their illegal footprint. The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre had only been about a year ago now, and Al Capone was still at large. 

“Good for her. Hopefully she can get us on the right track and away from becoming the second Chicago.”

Charlotte scowled. “The Mafia in Chicago is so powerful that they actually have their hands in the government. The law turns a blind eye when it comes to their crimes. If the Mafia can be dealt with, government corruption will eventually disappear too.” 

_ My sweet summer child. If only that were true. The Mafia will dissolve by the seventies and then the government will actually get worse, if you can believe that.  _ I shook my head absentmindedly. “I think it’s more deep-seated than that. The Mafia are criminals that will do anything for personal gain. Instead of punishing them, a lot of government officials choose to side with them. For some it’s the path of least resistance; for others, they want that same sort of wealth and power that the Mafia has while still being able to pretend like their noses are clean. I honestly think people like that, who are so fundamentally dishonest with themselves and the public… they pose an even greater threat than the mob.”

“That… is a very insightful opinion, Miss Colvin.” Charlotte squinted as she thought about what I had said. “And I can see your reasoning behind it. I just…” She trailed off and took another sip of coffee. “I don’t know.”

“Those are just my thoughts, anyways. They don’t particularly hold much value.” I said nonchalantly with a wave of my hand. “I could be wrong.” 

She nodded, though she looked as though she wasn’t fully present with the conversation. Her thoughts seemed elsewhere. After a moment or two, she smiled at me. “So, have I convinced you to attend the ball?” 

“I don’t think I was invited, Miss Harris.”

“Well you see, the thing is, my invitation calls for a plus one. I don’t know any suitable suitors to take with me, so I thought I might bring a friend.”

My heart fluttered in my chest.  _ A friend? Already? _ “I see. Well, if that’s the case then I suppose I can’t decline such a tempting offer.”

Charlotte grinned. “Fantastic. I’ll send a ride for you that evening, then.” she finished off her cup and set it down. “Well, I do have some matters to attend to today, so I’ll have to excuse myself.”

“Right, of course. Thank you again Miss Harris.”

“I’ll be seeing you.” She winked.


End file.
